Interferon is the name given to certain protein molecules which appear in the blood or organs of animals, or in the medium of tissue cultures when such are exposed to an interferon inducer. Interferons are helpful in preventing or mitigating viral diseases. In seeking effective ways to induce interferon production, numerous investigations have been directed to agents and methods to induce interferon production. Such agents, which lead to the appearance of interferon in the blood or organs of animals, or in the medium of tissue cultures are designated as interferon inducers.
It has been previously shown that ultraviolet irradiation of cells prior to the addition of a viral inducer results in an inhibition of interferon production, see DeMaeyer-Quignard, J., and DeMaeyer, E., Inhibition of Interferon Synthesis and Stimulation of Virus Plaque Development in Mammalian Cell Cultures after Ultraviolet Irradiation, Nature, 205, 985 (1965) and Burke, D. C., and Morrison, J. M., Interferon Production in Chick Embryo Cells, Virology, 27, 108 (1965).